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Hinges are innaccurate
that's why the top makers do not include hinges.

Agreed. I don't know why the hinge option is so popular when it is so obviously inaccurate. No offense intended, but why do people pay so much to get accurate armor only to finish it off in an inaccurate manner.

Sorry, but I would do everything I could to avoid the hinge look if you're doing Boba.

if you have MOW gauntlets, that have resin bottoms that are rigid, and the edges of the top and bottom halves line up, then velcro is out of the question... you have to have an overlap of the 2 halves to use velcro...if you have plastic or abs bottoms, then velcro would work, since you could get the overlap with the two halves...but have you tried to undo gauntlets that are velcroed? try it... just my 2 cents...

completely agree with the accuracy of the velcro, and if that is your goal, then velcro is the way to do it...

I am not at all bashing accuracy as it is cool to come as close to screen looks as possible, but for functionality I would have to say hinges are best.they provide less strain on the shells,and are easier to take off and put on.And you gotta remember that the screen used items were only worn during the scenes.after the movie they get put away.for people that troop or just wear their suits a lot you need things that are a little more practical.with a lot of velcro you are constantly fixing the velcro that lifts and like fettdad said it can be a pain to deal with.Kind of sucks to have to have assistance just to put your gaunts on,and to take them off.lol
I use just enough velcro on one side to hold them shut.that is really all you need.
I know this board is all about accuracy and being a professional costumer I fully understand, but for tons of wear and long lasting props, you got to relax just a bit on accuracy and focus on functionality.If gaunts like this were real for instance ,ad they held real firepower, I am gonna guess that they would not be held together by velcro alone.lol

I agree with wickedbeard, I understand people wanna be accurate but if you only have velcro and something happens while ur trooping and it comes unstuck it means ur gauntlet is going to hit the floor something you dont want to happen, I would go with the hinge on one side hidden of course and magnets on the other side, this is how im going to do my gauntlets just waiting on the magnets coming from the states. But go with what you think is best for you not what is best for everyone else as people differ.

I have Boba maker guantlets and have cut off the velcro tabs on one side and added a piano hinge as I didnt like the way they felt to me velcro'd together, was worried about them comming apart.
Hinge one side earth magnets the other for me be it accurate ot not thats how I wanted mine, its all down to personal preference I suppose

Wouldnt un-hinged be more secure??? With the clam shell method, (glued secure on one side, velcro on the other,) mine cant come off my arm even with the velcro undone!!! I would think a hinged set could open all the way up and fall off your arm???

I use 2 hinges, on on each side. One hinge has a fixed pin, the other has a removable pin. When I put the gauntlet on, I slide a roughly 8" long pin back down into the hinge. That is NEVER coming out by accident

My biggest complaint about the velcro method was that over time the paint would crack / peel due to flexing. In a busy time, I was trooping as Boba 3-4 times a month, every month. So, as a result, the paint would wear down fast.

The hinges aren't accurate, but the visual distinction is lost on all but the most hardcore people, and it makes for a more practical trooping suit.

1/2" diameter, 1/8" thick, diametrically magnetized and epoxy coated (which helps glues stick to them). I'm using them to keep the back seam in my shins closed. So far, so good! I'm using 8 in each shin... 4 pairs, sticking to each other.

Is it possible to glue hinges, but have the cylindrical part on the inside?

This way it doesn't show outward but you still have the functionality of a hinge. I though I read that someone here did that. (a long time ago)

Anyway, the open side could be rigged to close with magnets.

Any thoughts?

not sure on that...if the edges of the 2 halves meet, and you put the hinge on the inside, i dont think it will allow for the hinge to open, meaning the edges wouldnt allow it...?? plus, with the hinge, the gauntlets have to open away from the other side of the gauntlet from where the hinge is, and with the tube part of the hinge on the inside, the gauntlets would have to open towards the other side, and i dont see how that would work...

not sure on that...if the edges of the 2 halves meet, and you put the hinge on the inside, i dont think it will allow for the hinge to open, meaning the edges wouldnt allow it...?? plus, with the hinge, the gauntlets have to open away from the other side of the gauntlet from where the hinge is, and with the tube part of the hinge on the inside, the gauntlets would have to open towards the other side, and i dont see how that would work...

Thanks D...

I'm currently making gaunts for my son... before I hinge them (I will) I will experiment a bit to see how (if ) it could be done. I will take pics of the build of course!

It's possable if you mod your gaunts, or when scratch building, make them custom. Fettdad, maybe he meant use the hinges in the same direction as normal, but move them inside a little bit. Not backwards henges. That's what I visioned anyway. I'm going to scratch build my gaunts using Alan's (WOF) temps as a basis. This is what I will be attempting. Will post pics and what not when that time arrives.